Collar-support.



J. KELLEY.

COLLAR SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1907.

, 920,342. Patented May 4, 1909.

JAMES KELLEY, OF WINSTED, CONNECTICUT.

COLLAR-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed November 2, 1907. Serial No. 400,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES KELLEY, a cltizen of the United States, residing at .Vm-

sted, in the county of Litchfield and State of tlonnecticut, have invented a new and useful Collar-Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to collar supports, and more particularly to that class employed in extending and stiffening lace or other thin fabrics worn by women, for the purpose of revonting the same from breaking down and thus becoming unsightly.

The object of the invention is to provide a cneap, simply constructed and readily applied article this character which will positively secure the object stated, and will, as a further feature of novelty be invisible, thereby to avoid detracting from the pleasing appearance of the collar when in place.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being imderstood that various chan es in form proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification :F, gure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of collar viewed from the inner side thereof and displaying a support constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken from the exterior of the collar with the pointed terminals of the attaching wires or staples embedded in the fabric. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the support showing the manner of fastening the attaching wires or staples to a flexible strip, and before the piercing points of the staples are bent inwardly at the rear of the support to permit attaching said support to a collar.

Similar characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The support is constructed from any material adapted for the purpose, that will be light, nonfrangible, non-oxidizable, resilient and substantially transparent, and for this purpose celluloid has been found best adapted for use. The strip or celluloid from which the support is made will be provided in lengths corresponding to the style of the collar being worn, and while. as a general rule, transparent celluloid will be used, yet it may be colored in various tints or shades corresponding to the materials of which the collars will be iminufactured.

The support 1 is provided at each end with two oppositely disposed ears 3 that are provided with alined orifices l to receive the fastening members 5, which latter consists of short strands of fine wire that are passed through the orifices, and thence bent inwardly at the rear face of the strip 1 with their pointed terminals 6 spaced from each other and from the adjacent face of the flexible strip for engagement with the collar C when the support is positioned thereon. These strips may be made of plain steel or brass wire, or may be enameled or otherwise treated to impart to them the color of the support or of the material of the collar so that when assembled with the latter they will be practically invisible. As it is, these clips or attaching wires, even if made of ordinary steel or brass-wire will be concealed by the covering of lace with which collars are generally provided.

The supports are applied to the inner side of the collar C by causing one of the terminal points 6 of one pair of the attachii'ig wires to pierce the fabric constituting the collar and then crimping the fabric at the rear of the support 1 and causing the other pointed terminal to enter the crimped portion of the collar. A slight longitudinal pull is then exerted on the collar which re moves the crimp in the fabric and causes both piercing points to firmly engage said fabric. After the upper end of the support is fastened to the collar the lower end thereof is fastened in the same manner. Thus it will be seen that there is provided a collar support having attaching members permancntly secured thereto and provided with piercing points which enter the fabric so that the support may be readily attached to or detached from the collar without the ne cessity of sewing the support to the collar and without the employment of separate staples and similar auxiliary fastening devices which are liable to become lost or displaced. The fastening devices being permanently attached to the flexible strip or support are always in position to engage the collar, while the pointed terminals of the fastener being normally extended inwardly toward each other at the rear of the flexible strip occupy but very little space so that a great number of supports may be compactly ssemblcd for transportation or shipment. I cent ears and across the front face of the in Owing to the fact that the support is thin and flexible it will not render the collar un comfortable to the wearer, nor will it im- 5 part to it a stiff and unyielding appearance. Having thus described the invention What is claimed is:

As a new article of manufacture, a collar support comprising a thin flat resilient strip 10 having its opposite ends provided With oppositely disposed perforated ears, and fas tening devices permanently attached to the strip and each consisting of a single length of Wire having its intermediate portion eX- 15 tended through the perforations in the adjastrip and its opposite ends bent inwardly at the rear face of the strip and provided with terminal piercing points disposed in spaced relation to said rear face and in spaced rela- 20 tion to each other for engagement with a collar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afi'ixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES KELLEY.

\Vitnesses LOUISE B. PL MB, VVILBUR G. MAN crnasrnn. 

